8 Ways You're Making Smoothies Wrong

Why drink a smoothie, when you can eat dessert for breakfast (or a snack) instead? Simply pour your favorite smoothie into ice pop molds, and you've got a tasty treat that also happens to be healthy. Plus, if you're on the go, you can just toss the stick when you're done, versus having to cart around an empty travel cup.

Ok, so green smoothies that are all veggies, or mostly veggies (or even the ones that are half and half, if we're being honest), can become a chore for anyone who doesn't actually like the taste of raw veggies. But, add a handful of spinach leaves to a mostly fruity smoothie (acidic fruits like citrus or pineapple are particularly good at masking greens) and you won't even know the difference. Except for the color, of course.

4. You often skip the morning smoothie you promised yourself because you don't have time.

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It's tough to get up early enough to actually make breakfast, especially when that snooze button is just begging to be pressed. So, instead of fighting yourself, make a huge batch of your favorite smoothie in advance. Freeze your smoothie in muffin tins and once frozen, transfer the individual portions to a big, resealable freezer bag. Then when you want a smoothie, simply re-blend the amount you want with some milk or juice, or just pop a couple in a to-go cup first thing in the morning and drink as it melts.

Always use frozen fruit in place of ice for a still-thick and icy-cold drink that isn't watered down. We like to freeze fruit portions in advance (see number 7), or you can buy bags of mixed frozen fruit at the grocery store. If you want to make an impromptu smoothie with fresh fruit, try to keep a few frozen bananas in the freezer so you won't need to add ice. Plus, it's the perfect use for bananas that are just past their prime.

6. You make all-fruit smoothies.

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Sure, it's great to get several of those daily servings of fruit in one cup, but an all-fruit smoothie with more fruit juice and a tiny bit of yogurt isn't going to tide you over for very long. Add some almond or peanut butter for a little protein — and it won't hurt in the taste department either!

7. You prep ingredients every time you want to make a smoothie.

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Prepare freezer bags with ready-to-go, pre-portioned fruit. That way when you want to make a smoothie, you can dump one of your freezer bags into the blender, add the liquid of your choice — and maybe some yogurt or almond butter — and you're ready to eat, no prep required!

8. You wash your blender in the sink.

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Washing a dirty blender (and safely making sure the blades are clean) is both time consuming and difficult. But not with this extremely simple tip from The Kitchn: Just fill your dirty blender about halfway with water, add some dishsoap, and turn the blender back on. Then all you have to do is rinse away those bubbles and you're ready to make your next smoothie.